To all whom it may concern



@uitrit istie, @anni @fr-t,

IMPROVEMENT IN SPRINGS FOR HAT BRIMS.

SECIFIcAzr-Iomz TO ALL WHOM IT MAY CONCERN: e A l p v Be it known thatI, SAMUEL PECK, of New Haven, in the county of New Haven, and State ofConnecticut, p

have invented a new Improvement in Springs for Hat Brims; and I dohereby declare the following, when taken in connection with theaccompanying drawings, and the letters of reference marked` thereon, tobe a fuil, clear, and exact description, and which said drawingsconstitute part of this specication, and represent the manner of formingthe spring. i l v e My invention relates to an improvement in formingthe spring for distending hat brims, `whereby a graceful curvature is`given to the brim, and consists in the peculiar manner of forming thewire, so that at the required r A point the wire is curved in the properdirection by drawing it thinner or stretched upon the convex edge; andto enable `others skilled in the art to construct and use myimprovement, I will proceed to describe the same, as illustrated in theaccompanying drawings. V I J The wire which I employ is the ordinary datsteel or hoop-skirt wire, as` denoted in red in the drawings ;1 this Ipass between rollers or other device for reducing orA stretching wire,say starting from the point a., and the rollers formed 4so as to makethe upper or convex side longer (or stretched) than the lower orconcave, asiat I, gradually running out until the point b is dat, as at2; from this point the opposite side becomes the convex` side, and isrolled from the point b to the point c, gradually decreasing thethickness of or stretching the convex edge, as at 3, and from the pointc, to the pointA d, when the wire is again flat or of an even thickness,and then again, reversing, the extreme thinness of the convex edge isreached at the point c, returning to an even thickness at the point f,again reversing, forming the convex surface g, and returningfagain to anequal thickness at the point h, and reversing again to the point z',which corresponds` to thc placevof beginning,zand completes the wire forthe formation of the hoop or spring, which is done by uniting the twoends, a andi, Q y in the usual manner; these two points united,correspond to the central point, e', and form opposite sidesof the ibrim, while the points c and g are'drooping to thefront and rear. Thisformation of the wire may be continued through an entire length of wireand then cut at the proper points. This curve has heretofore been givenby holding the wire at the two ends and the centre, then twstingthe wiremidway between the centre and thetwo` l ends, but in thus twisting thewire there is an. uncertainty about the'perfectionof shape,inasmucheas,tl1e;`` 'l wire is unavoidably of an uneven temper-,so thatunless great care is exercised, the twist will be proportionatelyuneven, while by my invention the curve is certain without regard to thetemper `of the wire, and it may be rolled,

`as before statedfintothis form while in the process of drawing, andtherefore curved, at no additional expense,`

and after having been so curved may be covered, if desired, in the usualmanner, and when thehoop is complete, it is applied to the hat brim assimilar springs are usually applied. 4

I do not claim the employment of a il-at"steel'sprng" distcnding hatbrims, neither do I broadly claim t giving a droop to the front and rearof aV hat brim,`by means of a steel-wire spring.` But having thus fullydescribed my invention, what I do claim as new and useful, and desir-eto secure by Letters Patentis- Forming springs for hat brims, so as todroopat the front and rear, by curving the wire, substantially astherein set forth. l

j SAML; PECKLH` Witnesses:

JOHN H. SHUMWAY, A. J. TIBBIrs.

